Start of Jaguars training camp can be tough for newcomers

Not because of the difficult practices, but the quiet moments at night.

As an undrafted free agent, Allen signed with the Jaguars in 2009. The 6-foot-3, 238-pound Allen has gone on to play in 64 games for the Jaguars and start in 31.

Of the 31 rookies participating in their first camp practice Friday, 23 were undrafted free agents in April. That’s over a quarter of the entire 90-man roster.

Allen says the days aren’t bad, because players are accustomed to practicing after years of doing so. It’s the nights that can be daunting.

“We have so many undrafted players coming in here,” Allen said. “I know what that’s like. For me, the toughest part was lying in bed every night wondering what’s going to happen. I made a mistake today, what does that mean? You don’t know, because you’ve never gone through it before.”

The Jaguars’ first two picks in April’s draft, offensive tackle Luke Joeckel and safety Johnathan Cyprien, are as safe as any player on the roster. Still, they enter camp with a fair amount of nervousness and uncertainty. Cyprien has sought the advice of several Jaguars veterans in preparation.

“They tell me your rookie year is going to be your longest one,” Cyprien said. “Because, you really don’t stop training. You start training right after the last game of your college season getting ready for the draft. It’s going to be long and it’s going to be a grind, but everyone has done it. I’ll just be another one that has gone through it.”

Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew’s advice is simple. It starts with having plenty of muscle pain reliever on hand.

“Put Flexall on early,” Jones-Drew said. “It’s like the first day of Pop Warner. You have to go out there and take some hits and get used to it. You have to get adjusted to the speed and we are off and running.”

Jaguars quarterback Chad Henne says every rookie should seek out a role model on the team to try and emulate.

“I would definitely say gravitate towards your leaders,” Henne said. “Learn from the veterans that have been through it. If you have questions, ask. Don’t be afraid to ask. Stick in your books. There’s not a lot of time off.”

The young Jaguars have the ultimate example of longevity to look to in center Brad Meester. The 36-year-old Meester will be participating in his 14th camp with the franchise.

“It’s about addressing each day the right way,” Meester said. “So many people think about football and the physical stress. It’s the mental stuff. It’s hard. There’s a lot of mental pressure. You’ve got to be able to handle that stuff.”

Finding a mentor was easy for Joeckel. He’s gravitated towards Meester from the first time he became his teammate.

“He’s a warrior,” Joeckel said. “He’s the guy I can look to since I’ve been here to see how it’s done.”

From a mental standpoint, the 23 undrafted rookies might want to take advantage of Allen’s experience.

For the first time in their careers, that group of players is worrying about the cut.

“Mentally and emotionally it gets worse as you go because you’re approaching cut day,” Allen said. “You’ve never gone through that before. It just hangs over your head.

“In college, you’re on scholarship. They aren’t going to cut you at the end. For me, that was the biggest thing was adjusting to the emotional and mental drain of it all.”